PARADISE IS HERE

(Sunrise States: Realizing the growth potential of North-East)

Team Members Abhijit Duarah Bikram Baruti Debjeet Mazumdar Nayandeep Phukan Prachujya Saikia

JORHAT INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

NORTH-EAST INDIA: PRESENT SCENARIO

Indias North East Region (NER) is endowed with huge untapped natural resources. The region is endowed with vast natural resources in terms of forests, biological diversity, hydroelectricity, the region has remained largely underdeveloped. A key constraint to the growth has been poor infrastructure and limited connectivity, both within the region as well as with the rest of the country. The region, connected to the rest of India by a narrow stretch of land called the chickens neck, needs infrastructure to support and ensure significant investments and developmental aids. The region has witnessed series of insurgent activities and is alienated from the mainland India in terms of both economic and physical attributes. According to World Bank NER has a low-level equilibrium of poverty, non-development, civil conflict and lack of faith in political leadership. The total GDP of India is 8,53,495 crores according to Planning Commission of India for the financial year 2011-12. The contribution of North-East India is minimal, only 2.3%. The Pie diagram below shows the contribution of each state to the net GDP of North-East India.

Contribution of each state to the net GDP of NorthEast India Arunachal Pradesh Assam Manipur Meghalaya Mizoram Nagaland

Sikkim
Tripura

In the following slides plans have been proposed showcasing the growth potentials of NER. From the various potentials we have chosen some areas and come up with a plan/project for its development. The ideas shown can be implemented in similar other regions/areas for the overall growth and development of NER.

KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK DEVELOPMENT PLAN

Kaziranga national park is widely known as the only home of the great one horned rhinoceros. It comprises of one of the most dense forest in the world and is a World Heritage Site. But still, lack of proper exposure is a key constraint to its large scale development.

SNAPSHOT OF THE PLAN PROPOSED

Proposal of a ropeway system inside the park within 3 km connecting Mihimukh and Kathpar. Similarly plan can be made to facilitate boating on Difloo
river flowing through the Kaziranga National Park (KNP). A proposed plan for the construction of over-bridges crossing the NH 37 at those places which are used by the animals as corridors for seasonal shifting of habitat to Burhapahar area especially during the floods. Daily Helicopter rides catering to the tourists over areas where wild life especially the one horned rhino is usually found. Eco resorts showcasing local indigenous culture, cuisine ,tradition with modern amenities available to attract tourists. Wildlife festivals like The Great Kaziranga Mahotsava , Hastimahotsava where wild tamed elephants give delight to spectators. This will also accompany various local troupes who will showcase their culture and various events will be organized for the participation of wildlife lovers. Golaghat will be the nearest Wildlife Information centre featuring Assam Tourism cabs and caravans, tourist guides, tickets, lodging, fooding for domestic as well as international tourists. Motorized paragliding facility near Kaziranga National Park will be a good prospect for tourists recreation. Publishing a booklet which will act as information brochure for the above mentioned plans to the tourists.

INVESTMENT AND INCOME GENERATED

Helicopter Ride by Pawan Hans Limited ( Dauphin SA- 365N)
Per Ride Expenditure- `1,00,000 approx; Per Ride Income- `80,000; Minimum rides- 10 (2 Helicopters); Annual income-` 16,00,00,000 approx. State Govt Ropeway plan ( Kaziranga Cable Car Project ) Investment- ` 10 crores ( 3 km stretch); Per ride Income- ` 3,600; Minimum Rides- 20 ( 2 cable car); Annual income - ` 1,44,00,000 approx for 3 km ride. Government undertaken Eco Resorts Plan - It includes the establishment and development cost of eco resorts, tourism complex, Assam tourism cabs, Yatriniwas, Upgradation of Golaghat as nearest information centre. Investment- 33.30 crores rupee; Revenue generated 8 crores approx. per year from resorts only. Establishing a animal welfare centre and undertaking an initiative to help the local dwellers from the income generated from the above plans.

SIKKIM HIGH SPEED RAILWAY NETWORK PROJECT

Sikkim has many untapped natural resources and ancient Monasteries which are hidden at the backdrop of dense forests and high mountainous terrain and needs an urgent proper connectivity mechanism to ensure full utilization of their tourism aspect. Sikkims geography is comparable to that of South Korea. South Korean railway network system is one of the best in the world which consist of High speed train connectivity in the nation. Sikkim high speed railway network is a proposed initiative to connect important cities in the region and is one of the first step to introduce railway network in the Himalayan state. The plan will consist of following objectives and ideas** SNAPSHOT OF THE PLAN Four important cities will be covered in this project which includes Lingdong( North Sikkim), Lingtam( East Sikkim) , Yuksam( West Sikkim), Keozing( South Sikkim). North Bengal ( New Jalpaiguri Station) will be connected to these cities via Gangtok. These four cities are the places where Home stay tourism are going on. Home stay tourism is an initiative by Sikkim State government to make tourist realize the lifestyle of local villagers during their short span stay in the village or Eco village. A display of local cuisine, culture, important monuments will be presented to the tourists . This will also aid local people to earn livelihood and prosper economically. The High speed train network will encompass length and breadth of the state which will attract lakhs of tourists both domestic as well as international.

The alongside map show the proposed plan to introduce the railway network. The blue lines depicts the railway tracks and the green dots are the railway stoppages. These network will be interconnected to each other thus it will provide an easy mechanism to travel in the region. The above mentioned cities are connected to other cities via roads and offer numerous opportunities to view the unexplored paradise.

 The cities mentioned are the important sites for cultivation of Herbal and Medicinal plants and is one of the major sources of income for local inhabitants. The home-stay tourism featuring the rich cultural heritage of the tribal area particularly West Sikkim is a great prospect for tourism which will attract tourists in large numbers. Ancient Buddha Monasteries and Shiva temples are the key tourist destinations in this connectivity project.

INVESTMENT PLAN
The investment will be under the Railway Ministry which is approx. ` 175 crores for a track length of 354 km. This project will be constructed on those areas which are important locations as already shown in the Sikkim map above. The project will be a boon to the local people as it can become the first step in connecting the region to mainland India via railways. Exposure of enchanting monasteries, monuments to the outside world will generate revenue and help Sikkims tourism to flourish. As a matter of fact that the people of Sikkim are highly optimistic about railway projects, the proposed plan will be a stepping stone in the future of Sikkim Railways. The proposed high speed train service if undertaken as per specifications of South Korean train services, will surely boost economic growth. ** The graph below shows the GDP of Sikkim in % for a period of 10 years. It is expected that the GDP will increase @ 5 % per year if proper development in tourism is planned and executed. Special focus on the Railway Project will generate high revenue for the state.

35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

GDP in percent

STILWELL ROAD ONE ROAD, NUMEROUS OPPORTUNITIES

The Stilwell road or Ledo road is a famous transborder road of World War II era connecting Ledo in Assam and Kunming in China via Myanmar. Until 1958 the road was functional but after the 1962 Indo-China war the government of India closed down the Indian part of the road. The road is now in a very worn out state due to a number of reasons including government negligence and natural causes. Reopening of the road will connect the NER of India with South East Asian nations and will transform the region to a major commercial and tourism hotspot. Excluding the Indian part of the road the Chinese and Myanmar authorities have already reconstructed their part of the road and are using it for trade and commerce purposes. **POSITIVES OF THIS PLAN Border trade would get a major boost with the opening of Stilwell Road; Indian automobile components, fruits, grain, vegetables, textiles and cotton yarn could witness strong demand in almost all the Southeast Asian countries. At the same time, Indian traders can import electronic gadgets, synthetic blankets, teak, gold and semi-precious stones. The opening of Stilwell Road could cut costs of Chinese exports to India and vice versa by as much as 30%. Currently SinoIndian trade is worth $74 billion annually; this cost-cutting could result in a new surge in trade. This will also boost the tourism sector as the tourists will have a low cost alternative passage into the country. Many of the tribes in NER have their origin in the greater South-East Asian region. Reopening of this road will help them to connect to their roots and this will promote cultural exchange between countries .

Due to security concerns and threat of illegal smuggling the government has not favored this ambitious project. We propose setting up a special army division to counter the external threats, it would include ITBF, also the now dysfunctional Assam police 2nd line of defense can be used. A MoU will be signed between the trading countries and an action plan will be devised to regulate trade and commerce. The Central Govt with consultation with the NER state governments should take initiatives in identifying potential places and developing them as commercial hubs. E.g. auction centres, resorts, hotels, office buildings, shopping malls, multiplexes etc.

AGRICULTURE : PRESENT SCENARIO AND DEVELOPMENT PLAN

The North Eastern Region of India comprising the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura has a total geographical area of 18.37 million ha of which about 55% is under forest cover. About 1.2 million ha. is under cultivation and it produces a very meagre proportion of food grains (1.5%). Ironically Eastern and North Eastern regions hold enormous potential for development of agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry and fisheries with the fact that North-Eastern region falls under the high rainfall zone. Huge increase in production can be achieved in the region simply by using available and accessible technologies. . **Some plans to accelerate the production of agriculture in NER: Rice based Farming Systems: As rice is the main crop in the NER, rice based farming systems involving pisci-culture and rearing of animals/small ruminants, poultry, piggery and goat may be introduced in the form of an integrated farming system. Utilisation of ricefallow areas: As the region is largely unirrigated, the single crop that is taken, usually rice, is followed by fallow. However, the residual moisture in the soil being high, it is possible to cultivate a second crop like Rabi crops e.g. oilseeds, pulses or vegetables, with the application of appropriate practices. Location-specific Diversified Farming Systems: Large areas of NER which are prone to water logging, can be put under profitable aquatic farming systems for Makhana, Singhara, Swamp-taro, etc. as well as fisheries. Agroforestry: The NE region can be used profitably for agro-forestry. Nagaland has pioneered an excellent method of upgrading jhum by interposing a strong and increasing component of agro-forestry through assisted tree planting of selected fast growing economic timbers. 500 villages have already been covered, with farmers planting up to 100 trees each in their jhum fields, calculated to yield a harvest of Rs.1 lakh each on a 10 year jhum cycle. The graph below shows the production of cereal crops in NER during the last decade.

 Organic farming: The low input intensity of the region gives it a natural advantage in production of organic food, organic manure, bio-products, etc. The region can be promoted as a centre for organically produced eco-friendly goods. This will provide opportunities for production and marketing of organic products, health food, eco- and bio- goods, herbal medicine, etc through an integrated strategy for sustainable and equitable utilization of its natural resources and bio-diversity. Special thrust on fruit and vegetable: The soil and climatic conditions are congenial for growing a large variety of vegetables and fruits. There are numerous pockets covering sizable areas which are favourable for cultivation of potato, turmeric and fruits like litchi, mango, banana, orange including root and tuber corps, mushroom, floriculture, medicinal and aromatic plants, spices. Beekeeping has traditionally been an important activity in NER. Development of floriculture: The NER has the potential to emerge as the major supplier of floriculture products, especially rose, orchids and cut flowers. The potential needs to be tapped by bringing together the efforts of various agencies and a robust market development. Potential for fisheries: Keeping in view of the vast and varied aquatic resources available in the region for fish production, this area can yield substantial returns. The region has vast potential for fisheries by enhancement of rivers, streams, floodplains, wetlands, reservoirs, lakes, ponds, etc. Of the approximately 806 species of fish inhabiting fresh waters of India, the North Eastern region represents 267 species belonging to 112 genera, amounting to 33.13% of total fish diversity of India.

**SOME NOTEWORTHY PROSPECTS

Kumol Chaul ( Soft Rice) which is consumed as a

supplementary food item in Assam has been proposed for use in the Indian Army. Bhut Jolokia ( Hottest chili in the world) is going to be weaponized by the Indian Army in special tear gas type hand grenades for crowd control. Bao-Dhaan( Red Rice) has recently found great demand in the global market thanks to it being organic by default, apart from having a high content of iron, protein, vitamins and other nutrients. Fertile river beds after flood every year in Brahmaputra valley can be used to cultivate onions to make NER region self sufficient in onions. Water Hyacinth grows naturally in abundance in the ponds, lakes, etc. Although it is considered a weed responsible for many problems we can find some useful applications of the plant. The shoot of the plant can be used to extract fibers which can be used in making of paper, yarn, ropes , basket, etc. The agricultural sector of this region will find its way ahead by taking into account the above mentioned points.

SOME OTHER GROWTH POTENTIALS

Sericulture:
Nature has endowed NER with favourable climatic and environmental conditions, which makes her the natural homeland of various silk producing worms and their food plants. The NER has been traditionally practicing sericulture particularly mulberry, muga and eri. Since ancient times it has been playing a vital role in upliftment of the rural economy. Sericulture can generate employment for a large number of unemployed people especially females. Muga silk has a tremendous global market potential. For making a pat sadar (silk fabric) in hand loom one weaver is paid about 700 rupees and it takes an average of 6 to 7 days. So it is estimated that one weaver can earn maximum 100 rupees per day. However if machine looms are used a weaver can produce the same in half a day and earn more. Creation of specific plans to industrialise sericulture will provide employment and contribute to economy of NER.

Localized non-conventional power generation in remote areas:

The north eastern region comprises of several hilly rivers with gorge streams. These water sources of extreme kinetic energy can be made use for local hydel power generation. In remote areas of this region having such streams , mini hydel projects can be setup so that at least that specific region becomes self sufficient in terms of power requirement . This will eradicate the need to depend upon electricity companies by providing low cost electricity to households, schools, health units, rice mills, flour mills etc in those regions. Wind power harnessing in Arunachal Pradesh is a new prospect of energy generation to save the state from energy crisis. Recently ,NEEPCO has agreed to take a project of wind harnessing in the region which will produce energy of about 213 MW. As the terrain of the state consists of a part of eastern Himalayas , wind here is of very high speed ,which if harnessed properly promises great future in further such projects.

Bio-diesel from Jatropha:

As the fossil fuel reserves are depleting countries are researching for alternative sources of energy. One such type is production of bio-diesel from Jatropha plant. The advantage of this Jatropha oil is that it can be used directly after extraction (i.e. without refining) in diesel generators and engines. The NER has enormous potential for plantation of Jatropha in its vast wastelands. Jatropha plantation has already been undertaken in Arunachal Pradesh. The region is capable of producing 510 tons of Jatropha oilseeds from approximate 1700 hectare of wastelands. This will contribute to reduce Indias oil imports by 2% per year.

MUSHROOM CULTIVATION: Mushrooms are the fleshy and edible fruit bodies of several
bodies of micro fungi. It is a vegetarian food and is rich in protein, fibre, and amino acids. It is good for diabetes and joint pains and has excellent medicinal properties. Thus mushroom is of huge demand in world food market and has good export potential for countries such as China, Singapore, Dubai, and Europe. Indias mushroom export ranks sixth in world with a market share of 4.44 %. India can grow temperate, sub-tropical, and tropical mushrooms and North-east can be developed as mushroom bowl of the country. Mushrooms require different climate regimes specially the temperature, and therefore can be grown in various regions and seasons in the NE. Mushroom production requires very little land and can be a good source of employment for educated unemployed youth. The two primary inputs for mushroom production agro-waste and labour are easily available. Mushroom can be cultivated at low cost from Rs.50,000 to Rs.1 lakh. A kg fetches at least Rs.200 and the profit margin is 30 to 40 per cent. A crop requires 45 days and at least 1.5 tonnes can be harvested per crop. In an average, 10 tonnes per unit is possible per annum.

BAMBOO AND CANE INDUSTRY: Bamboo and

Cane are raw materials of great versatility and forms an integral part of the lifestyle and economy of Assam. It is practiced as a household industry and no mechanical device is used. It requires little investment and training and provides employment to unemployed uneducated youth. At present, there are vast untapped resources of bamboo that can open up avenues for utilization of bamboo for many productive works. Such a huge surplus of bamboo is not found elsewhere in India. Cane is also found in abundance almost throughout the state. The industry has considerable scope for development and various new products suited to modern tastes can be manufactured out of bamboo and cane. Market intelligence is required to be developed so that products can be made to cater to the need of the consumer market. Cane furniture has an unparalleled stand in the industry with its long lasting tensile strength and light weightiness. The best feature of a cane product is its eco friendliness and bio degradability. Cane products have an innate ability to resist fungal and bacterial attack. It can be elegantly designed to chairs, sofas, tables, cradles, cots, willows, hanging chairs, bamboo curtains etc. The government should take initiative to introduce it to the global market.

RUBBER

Rubber cultivation can be done in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, lower reaches of hills of Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura in NER. The agro-climatic conditions obtained here are unique for rubber cultivation. Tripura already has 26,500 hectare area of rubber plantation and production is about 10,000 MT per year. The availability of good quantity of high quality rubber offers scope for setting up of rubber-based industries in the state. Rubber cultivation is also proving to be an effective means of weaning away the ill effects of jhum cultivation like soil erosion, land degradation etc. The rubber board has already taken initiative in other NE states for accelerated development of rubber plantation as well as development of infrastructure. The Board has been providing training to farmers, giving financial assistance, establishing group processing centres, supplying rubber rollers and rubber sheeting rollers free of cost, etc.

CULTIVATION:

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROJECTS

Capital Investment for implementation of projects will be borne by the central govt. and respective state govt. in a 70-30 % share basis with consultation from the board of advisors. The money from the central govt. will be routed through the DONER ministry. Another way of raising capital for the projects is PPP (Public Private Partnership) between govt. and private entrepreneurs.
The working committee will be headed by chairpersons who are the state ministers of respective ministry. A premium research institution e.g. IIT, IIM etc. will head the entire projects and provide the necessary expertise and research facilities for developing the projects. They will be assisted by local interested innovators and NGOs.

REFERENCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY

Indias North-East Diversifying Growth Opportunities, Indian Chamber Of Commerce 2013

Report of The Working Group on Agricultural Development in Eastern and Northeastern India, The Planning Commission of India 2001
Mushroom Production for the Development of North-East India, Dr. RD Rai, Principal Scientist, Directorate of Mushroom Research, ICAR State wise GDP 2012 , VMW Analytic Services North East Enquirer, Special Report, Vol. 2 Issue No. 21

Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge, Vol .9 ( 2 ), April 2010

Greenwood Resorts Information Brochure Sikkim Railway Voice of Sikkim 2013 Homestay Tourism, Times of India, 28th March 2013 Look East on Stilwell Road, The Financial Express, 24th March 2012 Emphasis on Wind Power in Arunachal Pradesh, EAI Economic Benefits and Costs of Jatropha, AgEcon Search Official website Pawan Hans Limited Ledo Road, Wikipedia

Rubber Plantation North- East India, Official Website NEDFI Databank

Crafts of North-East Bamboo, Official Website Ignca.